Pianist and composer Thelonious Sphere Monk has long been revered for his unique improvisational style.

His profound influence on American music in undeniable for the numerous contributions he has made to the standard Jazz repertoire including the compositions "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", and "Blue Monk."

Monk is among the most recorded jazz composers of all time second only to Duke Ellington.

Remarkably Ellington has over one thousand songs to his credit, while Monk only wrote about seventy.